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Greg O'Shea captured the hearts of the nation on Love Island - then completed his dream of becoming an Olympian for his country.

O'Shea, along with Amber Gill, pipped Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae Hague to victory in 2019's Love Island, winning 49 per cent of the public vote.

Greg and Amber shocked the nation by winning Love Island in 2019
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Greg and Amber shocked the nation by winning Love Island in 2019Credit: Rex

While the couple split up shortly after filming was completed, they won a shared £50,000 after their triumph on the ITV show.

O'Shea had joined the villa late into the series before sweeping Amber off her feet - but just two years later, he faced a new challenge.

"I've taken a lot of flak from the lads for going on the show but Love Island was an incredible experience," O'Shea said in 2021.

"Rugby and Love Island are worlds apart but if I had to make one similarity, it would be that in both you are locked in with the same group of people and you have to get on with them or there's going to be drama.

READ MORE ON OLYMPICS

"I think there's a big mixture when people follow me - they know Greg O'Shea the rugby player, or a Love Island contestant.

"Over time, I've developed that hybrid life of a 'celebrity' and rugby life and I've really enjoyed it. Who can say they are a Love Island champion and an Olympian?"

At the Tokyo Olympics, which was delayed a year by Covid, the Irish fly-half represented his country in the rugby sevens at the Games to make history.

It was the first time that Ireland had a sevens team that participated at the Olympics, having missed out on qualification in 2016 in Brazil.

O'Shea came in as a bombshell to the Love Island villa then won the whole thing
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O'Shea came in as a bombshell to the Love Island villa then won the whole thingCredit: Rex
As a rugby player, O'Shea ended up representing Ireland in the Olympics
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As a rugby player, O'Shea ended up representing Ireland in the OlympicsCredit: Getty - Contributor

But it was no easy task, having to face a France squad brimming with talent that were favourites to qualify which they ended up winning 28-19.

"It was one of the best feelings I've ever had on a rugby pitch," O'Shea said.

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"It was the last-chance saloon and France had a star-studded team. We were so confident in our prep and ability and I think on the day we wanted it more - it was complete elation."

It would be a tough tournament for Ireland in Tokyo, though, starting their campaign with losses to South Africa and the United States.

Despite victory over Kenya, it was not enough to see them progress to the latter stages of the competition on points difference.

Out of 12 teams, they ended up finishing 10th, beating South Korea but losing to Kenya though it was a miracle O'Shea was able to participate at all after a serious bicycle incident that forced him into five surgeries.

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"I actually wasn't picked to go to the qualifier [tournament] in Monaco. I hadn't been training and I picked up too many injuries but the Sunday before the head coach rang me and said a team-mate had picked up an injury and asked me to come on the plane the next morning," O'Shea said.

"I went with the lads, I was just happy to be involved but turns out I trained well and the coach started me in most of the games and I played all the minutes in the final."

O'Shea's rugby career is now over and instead forged a career in media but will be taking a keen interest on events in Paris, with his compatriots expected to fair better this time.

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They came fifth in the world rugby sevens series and O'Shea said: "This time around they're under a lot more pressure and will be expected to get a medal," he told Today FM of the current team.

Greg and everyone else, though, can follow the Olympics, which is live on talkSPORT and in our live Olympics blog.

talkSPORT will be be bringing you live coverage of the Paris Olympics this summer. We will showcase more than 250 hours of live coverage across our network, with Sir Steve Redgrave and Dame Kelly Holmes among our legendary line-up of pundits. Listen to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, via the app, or through your smart speaker.

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